Review: Motorola Photon 4G

There are a number of different ways to consume music on the Photon 4G. First, there is the heavily modified main music player app that plays local content, as well as serves as a media streaming interface (think DLNA stuff), and an FM radio controller. This new music player offers a wide range of ways to interact with your music, and allows for control over playback options such as playlists, sound settings, and so on. It has a neat visual tool for sorting through your library by scattering all the album art to your music as if they were CDs strewn across the floor. It's cool, though you can revert to the normal ways to sort through your music if you wish (artist, album, song, etc.).

The Photon 4G ships with Sprint Music Plus on board, which is Sprint's music store. From Sprint Music Plus, it is possible to browse through and purchase songs, albums, ringtones, and ringback tones. I was able to found quite a lot of obscure music in this store, so chances are the Pop stuff you listen to will be available, too.

The Photon 4G also has Sprint Radio, which is a streaming music service that delivers music via the 3G/4G network. Compared to Slacker or Pandora, though, it stinks. You're better off using one of the third-party offerings.

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Video

The Photon 4G has a basic video player application to handle side-loaded video content as well as content captured on the Photon 4G itself. It is capable software, though not nearly as exciting as the music app.

The Photon 4G also ships with Sprint TV & Movies, which is Sprint's TV and movie streaming service. Sprint has been loading this software on its devices for ever. It's not bad as far as streaming content goes. What's truly annoying, however, is that half the content is available for free, and the other half requires users to subscribe for a monthly fee. It's absolutely hit-or-miss as to which is which, and you only find out you have to pay to watch something when you hit the pay wall after selecting it. This is poorly done.